


The God of Pomegranates

by Stinobear



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Blood and Violence, F/M, Harry is hades, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Luna Lovegood & Draco Malfoy Friendship, M/M, draco is Ares
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:48:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29047914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stinobear/pseuds/Stinobear
Summary: It’s hard being the God of the Underworld when the God Of War is always around to annoy you.Its even harder when you’re the God Of War and your crush is married to your best friend.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, minor Luna Lovegood/Harry Potter - Relationship, past Ginny Weasley/Harry Potter - Relationship
Comments: 23
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Greek mythology AU where Harry is the God of the Underworld and Draco is the God of War. 
> 
> I’m using the Greek gods names more as titles as opposed to their actual characters names. So Harry is Hades, officially, but his friends call him Harry. And so on and so forth. 
> 
> Harry thinks Draco is being annoying because he stole Luna from him but Draco just wants him to pay him some attention because he should be the pale, blonde love of Harry’s life, not Luna, who is only stuck there because she ate a pomegranate.
> 
> List of characters at the end of the chapter

“Hey, Hades, God of pomegranates, I must tell you that you sure do know how to throw a party.” 

Hades gritted his teeth as he turned away from Ares. He could put up with any of the other gods but Ares? Ares had a habit of annoying Hades so much that he had often imagined locking him in the deepest parts of the underworld just to hear his screams of outrage. Not that he’d be allowed to do that, but he could still picture it. 

Ares had taken the slight with a pinch of salt, simply rolling his eyes before moving on to annoying someone else. 

Hades looked at Athena grimly.

“Why did we invite him, Hermione? He’s the most annoying person in any room.” He asked.

“Well, Harry, he’s best friends with your wife, who is throwing this party. Honestly, if you want to go around kidnapping people’s best friends, you have to put up with some light ribbing.” Hermione answered, taking a sip from her drink. 

“I didn’t  _ kidnap  _ Luna. At best, I gave her a slight nudge in the right direction. She was already in love with me. It’s not my fault if she wasn’t particularly keen on living in the underworld with me.” Harry scoffed. Luna loved him. It wasn’t a lie. She just hadn’t been too excited about living the rest of her days in the underworld with him. 

“Besides, she gets to leave half the time anyway. Why can’t she hang out with him  _ then? _ ” 

Hermione rolled her eyes. 

“There are so many goddesses that would give up their lives for you, Harry. Remember Ginny? She adored you.” 

“Yes, and then she ran off with Dionysus the first chance she got. Let’s face it, no one wants to be stuck here with me for eternity.” 

“So you decided that the next one to fall in love with you will just be trapped here forever?” Hermione raised an eyebrow. “Have you considered waiting for someone willing to do that? You could just go find someone who  _ wants  _ to spend time here. Draco, for example, seems to like popping in here a lot. I’m sure he’d make a fine prince of the underworld.” 

“I will  _ not  _ marry Ares just because he likes dungeon style worlds. He’s too annoying.” Harry grouched.

“He’s only annoying to you. And to the humans when he starts wars. But that’s kind of his job. Plus if he went out of business, you’d have no one to watch over because fewer people would be ending up in the underworld.” 

“And I suppose I should be grateful to him for killing people on a regular basis? I don’t care. Maybe what we need is less humans coming in here, I’d have more time for my hobbies.” Harry replied. 

“Your hobbies include kidnapping beautiful goddesses.” Ron said, as he approached the pair. He gave Hermione a kiss on her cheek. His face was flushed, making Harry wonder how much he’d had to drink. Apollo had a knack for drinking too fast at a party. Harry made a mental note to keep an eye on him. The last party they’d been to had ended when he’d told Aphrodite that his wife, Athena, was much prettier than her, causing her to destroy the venue in her rage. Harry hadn’t cared much but the party was at his place this time and he would very much like to avoid that kind of disaster. 

“I also enjoy spending time with my pet and drinking mead made for me by the finest dead meadmakers in the underworld. I don’t have time for that much these days.” Harry replied. 

Before Ron could respond, there was a loud crash calling Hades attention. They all turned to see Ares and Persephone on the floor in a fit of giggles while Hephaestus was laying on his back, covered in feathers. Normally Hades would have reacted to the display with displeasure, especially considering it was clear that Ares was involved, but with his wife also clearly being involved, he knew he’d have to react with caution.

“What, pray tell, is going on?” Harry roared. He kept his glare focused on Ares. Whatever little prank Draco and Luna had just played had clearly pissed Hephaestus off, the feathers on his body starting to burn away from anger. Who thought it would be a good idea to make the god of fire mad? As crippled as he was, he was a force to be reckoned with when his fury overwhelmed him.

Luna stepped forward. “Sorry, my lord. Ares tripped, you see. Made a bit of a mess and made poor Hephaestus fall over. Into the feathers. That were already there.” 

“The feathers? Why would there already be feathers freely available in the underworld?” Harry answered. He tried to soften his tone as he addressed Persephone. It wouldn’t do them any good to start rumours about his and Luna's love life. 

Ares replied. “It was an honest mistake. I was showing Hermes a trick. He lost a few feathers in my display. He’s not mad, see? Hermes is okay, Hephaestus is fine too. Just a little clumsy, aren’t you, mate?” 

Hephaestus just glared at Ares as a servant tried to help him up. Harry sighed. Hephaestus still seemed upset and Harry was  _ not  _ in the mood to stop him from burning down the ballroom. 

“So it’s your fault then, Ares? If so, you should take your leave. No one here has the time to deal with your juvenile behavior. You’re a God, if you have forgotten. Maybe try to act like one? One would think you’re a demigod learning about his powers for the first time. Take that rubbish elsewhere, Ares. I will not have you disrupting what was a fine party with your tricks. Save that for the humans.” Hades said in a low voice, the one that everyone associated with danger. He hoped that he’d get through to Ares without having to resort to kicking him out himself. 

“What a party pooper you are, Hades. Perhaps I shall take my leave. Persephone, my dearest friend, perhaps once you are allowed to leave this musty prison, you might join me for drinks? I hear Dionysus has been making a new wine collection. He’s been doing so much better since he whisked poor Demeter away.” Ares replied, smiling coolly at the mention of Hades first love. 

Before Hades could react, Ares had left, leaving the underworld with an unnecessary clap of thunder as he disappeared. 

The ballroom was still. Hades was hardly known for being able to keep his temper in check. The floor began to shake, the first signs that Hades was about to retaliate. Athena tried to calm him with a hand on his back but he just shook her off, still staring at the space where Ares had just been. 

Persephone walked forward, hands up as a sign of peace, before touching his face. “Harry, my love, perhaps this party has gone on long enough. I think I’m quite tired now. Shall we retire?” Luna asked gently. 

Hades wanted to push her hand away and go after Ares, even though leaving the underworld would leave him weak, but, again, appearance was everything, especially since he was still trying to convince everyone that Persephone wanted to be with him. So he took a calming breath before nodding. 

He’d get his revenge another time. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco was the God of War. It would hardly do for him to be at war with himself.

Draco was well aware that pissing the God of the Underworld was not his smartest move but he was the god of war so pissing people off was kind of his whole thing.

So when a furious Persephone showed up in the middle of a fascinating meeting about a possible civil war in America, he wasn’t too surprised. A bit annoyed, yes, but certainly not surprised.

“Draco, I get that you’re mad at me for stealing your crush but pissing off a god in his own turf is practically suicidal!” Luna said as she walked into the war room. 

“Luna! Dearest, I was unaware that you could leave the underworld right now! What a pleasant surprise.” Draco replied, moving away from his subjects as they scrambled to draw his attention back to the brewing war. 

“It should show you how mad he must be that he’d permit it. What were you thinking? You’re far too old to still be pulling the pigtails of your crushes. Try being nice to him next time and see how much better that works for you.” Luna said, a murderous look on her face.

Luna was hardly the scariest goddess to interrupt him. When Athena had come in to scold him for instigating the unnecessary Vietnam War years ago, he’d admitted to being just a bit terrified. Athena had always been of the belief that war had to happen in a just and fair way. So she had been rather unhappy with him for that one. The two had moved chess pieces in that war in such a way that when it finally ended, neither could actually claim victory. 

“And I suppose you’re here to get me to apologize? Nothing I said was untrue. All his previous lovers had strong thoughts on being locked up in that dingy place. I was doing you a favour by reminding him of that.” Draco replied, walking up to her. The war advisors sighed behind him as they cleared out. No matter, he’d finish up with the meeting after this.

“Oh please! Spare me. You know that if it had been you that he had tricked, you’d be over the moon. All you’re ever wanted was to be the prince of the underworld. Draco, you  _ know  _ what this is really about. You’re jealous because we were both in that field that day, but he chose me instead of you. And now you’re throwing childish tantrums while using me to get closer to him. We’re Gods, Draco! He can love us both. But he won’t fall in love with you if you spend your days annoying him at every chance you get!” Luna pleaded.

“Luna, I beseech you to consider your next words carefully. You know that I am happy for you for finding love again. I know that falling for that human girl had hit you quite hard but you’ve managed to pick yourself back up. Astoria was a lovely girl. And now you have found a lovely husband. None of this talk of jealousy. Do you think I would still be your friend if I held any ill will towards you? I’m the god of war! If you wish to make an enemy of me, let me know so that I might smite you before you get too many ideas.” Draco retorted.

“Apologize to him, Ares, for you are not making an enemy of me today, but making an enemy of Hades might be your downfall. I do not think that you want that. A war between the two of you would cause enough havoc to even get Zeus involved. I beg of you, do not take this any further. Apologize to him and turn over a new leaf. Show him the compassionate side of you that I have seen. Show him the real you. The god that I befriended and have loved since the dawn of time. Can you not see that I am only trying to help?” Luna begged.

“It is precisely that I am showing him the real me that you do not understand. I am only compassionate to those who deserve it. As much as I find him attractive and charming, he is still useless and manipulative and you are so blinded by your love for him that you cannot see it. I am well aware that he can love us both, dear Persephone. But his love for me would only make me stronger while his love for you destroys the very core of you. Or did you miss the way the plants died in your absence?” Draco responded, pleading with Luna to see the battle that raged within him. 

Luna remained silent. She knew that Draco was at war with himself over her relationship with Harry. On the one hand, he, too, was too blinded by his own love for the god to truly go for retribution over Hades manipulation. But on the other hand, he burned over the loss of his friend, and the hurt that she felt. 

“Draco,” she said softly. “I have loved for centuries. I’ve seen you hurt, and I’ve also seen you basking in unending joy. Please do not forget who you are in this moment. I have resigned myself to my fate. You have to move past it as well. Apologizing to him will not break you. I know that you are capable of moving on from this. Show him that you can do that too.” 

“What would you have me do, Luna? He took away your free will. If it had been any other god I would have killed him for that. And yet here I stand, at a crossroads. How would you have me react? I cannot forgive him for what he has done to you. But I also cannot love him less.” Draco asked softly. 

“Oh, my dear Draco. I am not asking you to forgive him. I am asking that you find a way to see past it. Apologize to him so that he does not bar you from seeing me. You can still have us both.” Luna replied, moving to touch his face. She had always been so good at comforting. 

“I will apologize for my behavior at the party but I will not apologize for my righteous anger at his actions. He is Hades. There are many who would die for him. There are many that would choose to live in his shadow without having to be forced. I cannot forgive him for that but I will apologize and work towards moving past this. But, know this, I am only doing this because of you. My love for you runs deeper than any anger I might hold against him.” Draco conceded. 

“That is all I ask of you, Draco. Do not let this one cruel act destroy us.” Luna rubbed her thumb over his cheek before drawing him closer with a kiss. “Our friendship is too powerful to allow one god to destroy it.” 

Draco sighed. 

“Fine. I was in a meeting before you interrupted. I shall go to him once I am done here. Would hardly help my case if I run him out of business because I was too angry to do my job.” Draco said. 

The war still raged within him, but he would redirect that energy towards something else. He would not start a war with Hades, at least not today

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t imagine that having your best friend be manipulated by the man you love would go down well. I wanted to show that Draco is at war with himself over his feelings for Harry vs the anger at what Hades had done to Persephone. 
> 
> Chapters will alternate between POVs. The next chapter will have a slight time jump, with Draco already having apologized and getting back to his antics of doing what he can to annoy his crush because he’s quite useless at feelings and we’ll get some more insight into how Harry feels.
> 
> I also hope that it is clear to the reader that this takes place in modern times. The civil war reference is about the tensions in America over Biden/ Trump. I get the feeling Ares would be excited to see that play out from his war room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco and Harry finally become friends. Is there a possibility for more?

Don’t let it be said that Harry wasn’t a forgiving god. As much as Ares had angered him, the apology had been more than enough for him to move past the debacle at the party. 

Harry wasn’t lost on the fact that Ares was rightfully angry at him for what he’d done to Persephone. Most of the gods in the pantheon were unhappy with the strategy Harry had taken to securing Luna. 

Yet, he found it woefully unnecessary to be as angry at him as they were. Zeus had done far more disturbing things for people he loved less. Poseidon had an entire vendetta against Harry simply because Rhea, their mother, had always preferred Hades over him. And the small issue of Poseidon being in love with her and all that. His brothers had done far crueler things for love than what Hades had done. 

So, following Ares’ apology, Harry had assumed the matter to be resolved. What he had not expected was Ares’ new found habit of showing up in the underworld without reason simply to  _ chat  _ or  _ visit  _ with Hades. Once he continued showing up after Persephone had left the underworld, Harry admitted to being baffled at the lesser gods antics. 

Ares would pop in, often with an array of pomegranate jokes before settling down in front of Cerberus to play with him. Harry found it rather endearing but still overwhelmingly confusing. He didn’t know if Ares hated him and was deliberately doing it to annoy him or if he had simply decided to let go of his animosity towards Harry but he didn’t understand the gods new found desire to visit with him. 

On this particular day, Ares had entered, pet Cerberus before plopping himself down in front of Hades as if it was a regular occurrence before launching into a speech about how Athena had foiled his attempts at another American Civil War by allowing Biden to take office. He found it frightfully boring of Athena to settle matters so easily when Ares had apparently been preparing for quite the showdown. 

Days before that he had come in laughing about the human who had apparently tasered himself to death at the Capitol riots. He had wanted to go see the man for himself but Harry had put a stop to that train of thought. Ares could do what he wanted to the humans while they were still on earth, but they belonged to Hades as soon as they entered the underworld. 

As much as he wished to deny it, Harry found it quite charming to watch Ares treat him as a friend he could come to with anecdotes about the comings and goings of the human world. He tried to reciprocate with stories of humans being confused when they reached the underworld or about the fright they got at the sight of Cerberus. Ares always fondly pet Cerberus after such stories, with Cerberus having taken a liking to him to the point that he would sometimes come in the throne room just to lay next to Ares as they chatted. Cerberus very rarely liked the other gods, even Athena found it difficult to get past him sometimes, yet here Ares was, bonding with the three headed dog as if they had been friends for centuries.

A consequence of Ares’ visits that Harry had not anticipated was his growing affection for the god. Sometimes when Persephone came down with him for a visit, and he watched the two best friends interact with each other, he found himself understanding more and more how the two of them had grown so close. He wanted to be jealous of the unreserved affection Luna showed towards Ares, but he could not. The purity of their love was too powerful for him to continue harbouring feelings of contempt. 

Sometimes he would feel jealousy at the ease with which they interacted with each other. He knew that Ares had never taken a female lover, and that he had left a string of broken men, of both human and god kind, in his path. The stories of Artemis’ attempts at winning him over were well known. The goddess had been rejected in such a heartless way that Apollo had flown into a rage that had lasted centuries. So the jealousy was not related to the idea that they might have been in love. No, he was jealous of their friendship. 

At first, he had only been jealous of Ares. He had never been regarded with as much affection by Luna as Ares was. He felt contempt towards Ares for how he had managed to win his wife over so fully. He was sure that if Ares had been in Hades position, Persephone would have stayed in the underworld purely out of love for him. 

But soon the jealousy grew towards Luna. How affectionate Ares was towards her. The light kisses and laughter that she drew out of him lit a flame in Hades. He started wishing Ares would show similar affection to him. Despite the growing friendship towards him, Ares still remained cordial in his interactions with him. Never touching too long, never lingering in his space in the way that he did with Luna. 

So, when Luna returned to the underworld and requested a party in her honour, Harry easily agreed. He wished to drown his new found feelings towards Ares in wine and mead. A human soul that had recently arrived in the underworld had a knack for whiskey, and was keen on making a brew strong enough to get the gods drunk. 

Ares had once again made fun of him for the red decor at the party, joking about his love for pomegranates but this time Hades received it with a laugh. He had thrown his head back and patted Ares on the back following the joke. Even Athena had eyed him suspiciously at that display. 

Ares seemed to be well aware of Hades intentions of drinking an absurd amount, plying him with different wines, holding up Harry’s chalice and demanding it be refilled as soon as it emptied. He grinned at Hades with a glint in his eyes as he stepped all the closer into Hades space, never leaving his side. 

The pantheon enjoyed the party, especially with the new found friendship between Hades and Ares. When Dionysus arrived with Demeter, Hades had been too preoccupied with Ares to care. The wine flowed on and the party raged. 

Only when Luna had dragged Harry away to dance with her, did it truly hit him. He was falling in love with the god of war. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so my understanding of Greek mythology was that “family” isn’t really a thing? Like you can be born of the same Titan/ God but that doesn’t necessarily make you brother or sister in the sense that we do as humans. So when Poseidon is in love with his mother, Rhea, it’s more in the sense that he’s in love with a woman who cared for him as he learnt the ropes around his powers. 
> 
> In the same way, Demeter and Hades would be brother and sister so for them to be together in the way we are as humans, would be incest. But they are gods and incest isn’t apparently a thing they concern themselves with, I think that we should suspend any judgement about the love life of the gods since I don’t think that they would have had the same view of things that we do. 
> 
> If you are a Greek god and want to correct me on that assumption, feel free 😌😉


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ares goes back to what he knows best: war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: violence. Draco goes into battle and there’s like death and the usual things that happen in a war. He also really likes it. So there’s a lot of romanticisation of war and blood and death.

The party had carried on for a very long time. By the time Ares had left, entire decades had passed. Time was not something the gods paid much attention to, so Ares was unbothered. He regarded the servants with a cool eye when they attempted to draw him back into the war room with stories of their exploits over the time he had been away. 

He did not care. After centuries of trying, he had finally managed to befriend the god of the underworld. He felt as if he was walking on clouds with how light it made him feel. He cared not for the humans who had lived through wars that were not of his own doing. 

It would take Draco another decade before he felt recovered enough from the party to resume his duties as god of war. Athena had always been the better god at war. She had not stayed at the party for as long as he had and so she had played quite a few of her own cards in his absence. He found it hard to be mad at her for that. He was more prone to chaotic antics than her so he had not missed too much. 

He noted a war that Athena had started over resources in Asia. It had just started so there had not been too many casualties and Draco felt that fire within him light up again. He wanted more chaos. So he decided to take matters into his own hands and quickly suited up. 

He would be joining the Asian continental war as a soldier. His strength lied in the battlefield and adding a god to the mix would make for a joyous change to Athenas strategic invasion of the war room. 

Draco knew the ins and outs of war. He knew how to play the game. For him, he always liked to play for the losing team, wait until the other side was sure they’d win. Then he’d come in, maybe take over as leader, or just a simple soldier. As he entered the battlefield, he saw a grim reaper rolling his eyes. He winked at the hooded figure before drawing his gun. This time he was playing a soldier. He took out six men, raised an eyebrow at the reaper before running back into the fray. 

As he killed and fought, he felt himself come alive with the blood of his new found enemies splattered on body. He heard the call to retreat, and turned to face the sergeant. He wiped the side of his face. The sergeant would never know who he was, a nameless face of chaos and victory. He would disappear among the rest of the soldiers. He’d find himself another group later, lead them this time. Ares was the king of the battle, and when he left, he’d leave victorious.

It took him mere days to settle into the war. He drank and ate like a soldier, immersed in the face of danger. He befriended fellow soldiers and fell into the pattern of death and rage that he had been known for. 

Once he had moved on, taking over the Chinese station, he allowed himself to revel in the horror of battle and war. He roared out orders, killing and injuring his enemies. So lost in the feeling, he did not notice as he fell further into its clutches. 

Until he woke up in a cot that was not his, an unknown soldier beneath him. If he had been home, he would have laughed at the situation. This human had no idea that he had just bedded a god. The same god that would lead them to victory. 

As the soldier beneath him stirred, he took a moment to revel in the affair he’d now found himself in. He was prone to bedding soldiers while in battle, a past time he had often been berated for by Athena. She did not believe in mixing business with pleasure. But business was pleasure for him. So he would continue doing as he pleases while at war. 

Over the coming weeks, his affection for the soldier, Xiang Yu, grew, and soon he realised that he had fallen in love. This did not surprise him, he knew that he had not courted anyone in centuries, his attention focused on Hades. But he knew that he would have to keep this to himself. Thanatos had a habit of killing off humans he saw Ares growing affectionate towards. Thanatos despised him, as god of death, for killing those that the fates had not yet chosen. 

So, Ares kept this new lover a secret from the eyes of those with the power to stop him, he always watched out for reapers in the area before entering Xiang Yu’s tent. He would not be able to keep the man alive for too long, not since Zeus had made it clear that he would not grant immortality to any more humans. But he knew that he would treasure the love he had for this man, and he would do all he could to ensure that he only died at the right time. When the fates decided it. And not a moment before. 

As Ares got lost in the love of his new human, and in the power that the battle gave him, that he drew from the dead bodies of lesser soldiers who did not survive, he saw the man grow. Xiang Yu was a beautiful man, fierce both in the battlefield and in his bed. So lost did he become that he stopped being so careful. Word got to the god of death that Ares had taken a mortal lover. Thanatos stirred from his place, watching the god of war with his new lover. He plotted to kill the human in front of the god, remind him that he was the true victor of the battlefield. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Expect chapters to be slower going forward as I return to work and my studies.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco asks a favour of Harry. Harry isn’t too keen on helping him.

Harry would never admit it out loud but he missed Ares. After the party, the god had left. It had been ages since that event and Harry had finally realised that his new friend had left him hollow. He wanted to see him again but when he’d sent a message to Ares, he found that the god of war had left his home and was in battle with the humans. He wanted to laugh at the god’s love for war but he knew that he’d only feel alive again when Ares returned.

The battle had not yet ended when Ares had returned, coming straight to the underworld in a rage. Hades had been having dinner with Luna when he arrived. He did not expect the arrival and, from the look of shock on Luna’s face, she had not either. 

“Hades, you must let me see him!” Ares shouted, in lieu of greeting. The rage so evident in his face that Hades almost took a step back. 

“See who?” Harry replied calmly. He had no idea what the god of war wanted, and was quite annoyed that his return was not on pleasant terms.

“A soldier. Xiang Yu. Thanatos has a vendetta against me and has taken yet another one of my lovers. I would ask that you allow me to take him back with me. He shall live out the rest of his mortal life in my arms then you can have him back. But you will  _ NOT  _ take my love away from me, as Thanatos did.” Ares roared. Luna gasped. Hades could barely contain his own reaction. 

“You have taken a mortal lover? And Thanatos has killed him?” Hades asked. He had to be sure. He had to know that Ares had truly found love in someone else, only decades after Hades had discovered his own feelings for the god. 

“I have, Hades. I have. Think of me a fool all you want, but I have. And I would like him back.” Draco replied, rage still in his voice. 

It was selfish of Harry. Truly. He had the power to give Ares his lover back, but he did not want to. He could not give Ares his mortal lover when the stirrings of love for the god of war still sat heavy on his chest. 

Harry had always gone for who he wanted. And right now he wanted the god in front of him. And the only thing standing in his way was the mortal human that had apparently just arrived in the underworld. 

“Ares, Draco, I cannot give you what you want.” Harry replied coldly. “Perhaps your next lover should be less mortal. I cannot simply bring every man you fall in love with back to life just because you wish it to be so. Now, I know you’ve been in battle, perhaps you might join Luna and I for dinner.” Harry tried to change the subject. 

Ares’ eyes flashed. 

“You  _ can  _ give me what I want, Hades. I know you can. What reason could you have for denying me? I thought we had become friends.” Draco responded. 

“If I give you this one man, what will happen when you find another? Will I spend my days pandering to your whims? He is a mortal and his time has ended. I cannot simply give you everything you desire for the sake of friendship, Draco. Thanatos will keep killing the mortal men you so frequently take. I will not keep having this conversation each time you choose to bed yet another mortal. Or are you going to tell me this one is special? Because I know that the last one was special too. That you tried to kill Death himself for that boy. If he was so special, and this one is special too, how long until you find another special man to waste your time with?” Harry answered. 

“You call me by my name as if we are familiar yet you taunt me for my personal affairs. As hopeless at love as you see me being, none of  _ my  _ lovers had to be trapped in order for me to keep them.  _ My  _ lovers live out their days with happiness.  _ Yours  _ run off at the first chance they get. Perhaps you should not be the one to council me on affairs of the heart,  _ Harry.”  _

“Enough! I will not have you come into  _ my  _ kingdom and question my choices. Take your leave, Ares. Come back when you have some sense. Far more powerful gods have grovelled at my feet for their mortal lovers. Insulting me will not work in your favour.” Harry replied. 

“Is that what you wish for me to do, my lord? Should I beg? Get on my knees? Should I stroke your ego? Is that what you want?  _ Please, my lord, oh powerful Hades. I beg of you-“  _ Draco started.

“Get. Out.” Harry commanded. 

“Why, my lord? Does my begging not please you? Shall I go on my knees?” Draco fell to his feet, looking up at Hades. “How far will you make me go?” 

Harry had pictured Draco in that position many times. Had dreamt of having the fierce battle god on his knees for him. It had not gone like this in those fantasies. 

Before Harry could shake himself from that train of thought, Luna stepped forward, falling to her knees next to Draco, taking his face into her hands. 

“Draco, don’t.” She said. “Harry is right. You fall for a different mortal every few centuries. You’ll find another. Let this one go. I will make sure he is taken care of.” 

“I leave for two decades and you side with him? Unbelievable.” Draco muttered. 

“I side not with him, my dearest Draco, I simply ask you to understand. This soldier would have died eventually, perhaps in the same battle you have just been in. Take my words as an understanding of the person you are. When you love, you love deeply, but you have managed to move on before. I am sure that you will be able to move on once more. Besides, I thought your affections lied elsewhere…” Luna stopped, looking up at Harry as if she did not wish him to hear her. 

“Where my affections currently lie, Persephone, is in the arms of a man that died in battle, not because it was his time, but because he dared love me. Is it more hopeless for me to love one that does not love me back or to love one who will not be able to love me anymore because he is used as a pawn in a game played by the gods?” Draco asked. Harry noted his use of Luna’s official title. He had never heard Draco call Luna by her title in all the time he’d known the pair. 

“Drac- Ares, do not take Persephone’s words as her siding with me. Even if she were to ask me on your behalf, I would not allow it. No mortal leaves this realm. There is no god that will change my mind about this. As your friend, I ask that you go home and think about what you are asking. And know, that when you return, I will welcome you with open arms. Harry tried to reason with him.

Draco glared up at him, still on his knees for the god of the underworld. Harry could not help himself, he brushed his hand over Draco’s cheek, resting it on his jaw. How badly he wished to move his finger just an inch higher until it rested on Draco’s full lips. Another time perhaps, when Draco has moved on from the irrelevant human. He knew that Draco would one day realise that this human was nothing and he would finally be ready to be with Harry. 

He just had to give it time. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So far, Harry is the WORST. But his ego will finally take a much needed knock very soon.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zeus finds the situation quite interesting. He won’t allow Harry and Draco to go unchecked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter from Zeus’ POV.

Zeus did not often bother himself with the going ons of the other gods. He considered himself too old and wise to lower his gaze to those who did not deserve it. Yet he watched. He barely paid attention to the activities of the lesser gods but he kept an eye on those who might be able to rival him. Only two gods fit that category: Hades and Poseidon. 

Poseidon was a lesser threat, with an unnatural obsession with the Titans who brought him to life. Zeus did not bother looking too deeply into his affairs as he spent most of his time burying his sorrows in the subordinates of the sea. A good leader, Poseidon might be, but he concerned himself with his own realm above all the others. No, Poseidon would be a worthy opponent but he lacked the motive to interfere with Zeus and his affairs.

Hades, on the other hand, was known for spontaneous bursts of irrational and erratic behaviour. One day he would be obsessing over a fair maiden, the next he’d decide to reform his realm. He made decisions based on whims and on the whisperings of his friends. With a new target clearly set in Hades mind, he could cause unexpected danger to all the realms. 

Hades’ new attraction to Ares would be a problem for him. The combined dysfunctionality of the Underworld God and the War God would prove to be an issue for Zeus. Hades would certainly not attempt to take over Zeus’ realm without an instigator. And Ares, true to his nature, was heavy handed in his attempts to instigate insolence and disobedience. 

It would not do. Zeus had turned a blind eye to Hades acquisition of Persephone but he could not ignore the new budding relationship between Hades and Ares. He would have to put a stop to it. 

The question was  _ how?  _

As Zeus looked over the realms and considered his best foot forward, it came to him. 

The fair Ginevra, always a favorite of Zeus’, had left Hades for Dionysus. But Zeus was sure that some affection still lied within her. Perhaps he should invite the goddess to visit. The main concern for Demeter was being stuck in the underworld. If Zeus was to eliminate that problem by allowing Demeter equal access to both realms, she might be persuaded to take the god of the underworld back. 

Another strategy would be to fill Ares’ time. If the gods had no chance of seeing each other, their love would burn out. As much as it was clear that Ares was obsessed with Hades, it was also clear that his affections would stray easily. He had already fallen in love with the mortal. Zeus considered his options in this regard. The only god powerful enough to persuade Hades to releasing the mortal, was Zeus himself. 

Yes. He would divide them through the combinations of Zeus’ efforts. 

No one would take Zeus’ place. He would simply not allow it. 

  
  
  



	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades attempts to get Ares’ attention again after the whole mortal soldier debacle.

Harry was so weak. He felt as though he could barely move his head. The deep seated exhaustion and pain in his body made him feel a terror he had long since felt. 

He had gone, first to see the soldier that had taken Draco's heart, then to Draco’s chambers in Olympus. As Harry had expected, Draco had refused to see him, claiming that he was too busy. So Harry had waited. For what felt like centuries, Harry sat in the giant foyer of Draco’s residence. The room filled with statues and memorabilia of past wars. A lot could be said about the god of war, but one thing he did not lack was his passion for his craft. 

For now, he could not focus on that. So weak and forlorn, he wondered if he was destined to perish in this room. He had never spent this much time on Olympus for the exact reason that it weakened him. He could only go so long in that realm before he went mad.

And yet, he waited. Sat in the foyer for days on end, not seeing even a glimpse of his love. Harry might have a cruel streak when it came to love but he was dedicated to his choice. He would have Draco in his arms, even if it was only for a moment before he lost himself in the anguish of being outside the realm of the underworld.

His precious Persephone had stayed to rule as Queen of the underworld. She had figured out his true feelings towards Draco after his rampage through the underworld and from how he had reacted upon gazing at the face of the dead soldier that Draco had fallen for. 

He knew he could not,  _ would not,  _ harm the man. If news had to come back to Draco about the situation, it would surely send the war god into a fury so deep that Harry would never get the chance to be with him after that.

So weak, he was right now, that he worried that he would not have the strength to return to his own realm, even though the pull grew stronger the longer he waited. He did not know if Draco would ever see him , but the possibility of him being too weak to even talk to him terrified him. How long would Ares take to get to him? Would he even care when he looked at the anguished face of a dying Hades? 

He considered his options as he sat. At this point of his weakness, he was too weak to even call on the servants in the area to help him up. He felt as if any strength he had ever had in the ages since his birth had seeped out of him slowly. No god had ever been this weak, of that he was certain.

When, at long last, Draco entered the foyer with a stunned expression, Harry had hardly the energy left to even move his head. He could do no more than stay in the exact same position that he had been in for decades. 

Draco gasped as he looked at the weakened god in front of him. He saw how Hades was unable to move himself even after finally receiving the audience he had spent decades waiting for.

Draco fell to his knees, holding Harry’s face to look at him. 

“Dear gods, what have you done to yourself?” Draco muttered, unsurprised by the lack of response. Harry had barely any concentration left within him but he gazed at Draco with a singular focus that very few had ever been the target of. 

Draco rubbed his hand on Harry’s cheek as he cursed softly at the clear agony that the god was in. 

“You utter fool. What would have become of you if I had not finally decided to attend to you? You are already so weak and yet here you stayed, simply because you wanted to see me? How much longer could you have kept this up? The gods so rarely die. What would have happened had I not come now? As mad at you as I am, I certainly did not want you to  _ die!” _

Harry could barely do more than grunt. A deep sharp pain bloomed in his throat from its lack of use, his body burned. Until this point he had barely been aware of his body. A god that could change forms was not a god that spent much time dwelling on his physical form. 

He could barely focus on what Ares was saying and he could not do more than think about the rough, calloused hands on his face. His vision began to blur, the struggle of focusing on Draco’s face becoming all the more prominent. Draco watched as the gods' eyes fluttered before closing. 

In the back of Harry’s mind, he heard Draco scream for help and felt the hands of unknown servants picking him up. He drifted from his physical form, his body too weak to sustain him. Despite the reprieve from the anguish on his physical form, he was still too weak to do much. He was able to gather enough strength to squeeze Draco’s hand from where it was gripping his, a terrified but determined look on his face. 

As he felt himself enter the underworld, he managed a shudder. He felt the power of his realm clinging to him as it seeped back into him. Yet he was still too weak to do much. He was aware of what was happening around him, Persephone’s piercing gaze on his face, Draco’s hand still holding his, loosening as he saw the colour return to Hades form. And yet, the pain of his stay in Olympus made it impossible for him to react to it. His heart bloomed at the sight of his lovers caring for him.

Hades would not die today, but if he did, he would have died surrounded by the two deities he loved most. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So far Harry has been an absolute jackass and I wanted to show you all the side of him that is much nicer, he is arrogant and self-serving but he loves completely. Hopefully, as we get closer to the climax, we will see more of that side of him.

**Author's Note:**

> To avoid confusion:
> 
> Harry- Hades  
> Hermione- Athena  
> Ron- Apollo  
> Luna- Persephone  
> Draco- Ares  
> Ginny- Demeter  
> Dean- Dionysus  
> Neville- Hephaestus 
> 
> Not yet featured but:
> 
> Fleur- Aphrodite  
> Dumbledore- Zeus  
> Snape- Poseidon  
> McGonagall- Hera  
> Pansy- Artemis (yes, I KNOW!)


End file.
